The Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail won the Lieutenant Governor's Award for Economic Development Excellence at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario Awards of Excellence ceremony in Toronto Jan. 31. On hand for the presentation (from left) Craig Kelley, director of development and property, County of Renfrew); Warden Robert Kidd, Lanark County; Warden Jennifer Murphy, County of Renfrew; Mayor Robert Sweet, chair of the OVRT and ATAC committees; Kevin Paul, Canadian Pacific Railway; Paul Moreau, CAO/clerk County of Renfrew and Adam Growe, MC for the evening, host of Cash Cab.Submitted photo by Dan Banko

The Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail has been recognized by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario with the most prestigious award at the annual conference.

During the annual conference and showcase, the president’s dinner and awards ceremony was held Jan. 31 with the presentation of the Awards of Excellence for 2018. The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Economic Development Excellence was presented to the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Partners Group for the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Partnership. The partnership also received the Collaboration and Partnership Award in the regional and cross-border collaboration and partnership category for communities with a population between 50,000 and 250,000. This group includes Renfrew County, Lanark County and the Township of Papineau-Cameron which formed a partnership in 2011 and then signed a lease and donation agreement to acquire ownership of the 296-kilometre discontinued Canadian Pacific Rail between Smiths Falls and Mattawa. The Renfrew County’s portion of the corridor runs from the Arnprior/Ottawa border in the south to the Renfrew/Mattawa border in the north.

Renfrew County Warden Jennifer Murphy congratulated all of the nominees and recipients of the Awards of Excellence and expressed pride in having the partnership recognized with these top awards.

“It really acknowledges the hard work that so many have put into this project for more than a decade,” she said in a release issued by the county. “I also want to thank those that have supported the County of Renfrew’s section the Algonquin Trail through investment; the government of Ontario, the Renfrew County Community Futures Development Corporation, Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, Renfrew County ATV Club, the Zombie Thrill Run, and other volunteer organizations and funders.”

Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet, chairman of the Algonquin Trail Advisory Committee and the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Committee, said these prestigious awards recognize the efforts by the partners thus far to develop the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail and the future potential it brings to our area as a four-season multi-use trail. “The trail represents an opportunity to realize growth for economic development, tourism and active transportation,” he added. “Investments from the province and local partnerships are key pieces to seeing more kilometres of the trail open as we work to connect more sections of the Algonquin Trail in Renfrew County.”

Lanark County Warden Richard Kidd also noted it has invested significantly to complete its section of the trail in 2018, and it is tremendously satisfying that these efforts have been acknowledged on a provincial level and that the trail has been deemed a significant economic development project.

EDCO president Delia Reiche welcomed more than 300 guests to the reception and MC Adam Growe, renowned Canadian comedian and host of Cash Cab, provided entertainment and announced the recipients.

The Awards of Excellence program aims to recognize and celebrate the outstanding work in economic development happening around the province of Ontario. The projects and initiatives that received awards demonstrated extraordinary and innovative best practices in Ontario and are enhancing the economic development capacity in the province of Ontario, that have resulted in vibrant, sustainable communities and economies. This year, 98 submissions were received and evaluated by an expert panel of judges with experience in marketing, communications, tourism and industrial/commercial development.